PurpleSkyz

Mars will pass very close to the Sun in the sky as its orbit carries it around the far side of the solar system from the Earth. At closest approach, Mars will appear at a separation of only 1°04' from the Sun, making it totally unobservable for several weeks while it is lost in the Sun's glare. At around the same time, Mars will also be at its most distant from the Earth – receding to a distance of 2.67 AU – since the two planets will lie on opposite sides of the solar system. The alignment of the Sun between Mars and Earth will disrupt radio transmissions between the two planets, therefore hindering communications.